Village club relegated as tactics ‘just not cricket’
AVILLAGE cricket club at the centre of a fair-play row that caused national outrage has been relegated by a disciplinary committee.
Carew Cricket Club hit the headlines last month after declaring on 18-1 during their Pembroke County Cricket Club (PCCC) Division One title-decider with second-placed Cresselly.
Carew had calculated they could lose the match but still claim the championship if they denied their opponents any batting or bowling bonus points.
Cresselly won the contest by nine wickets but had to settle for the 20 points awarded for the win without any added extras, leaving them one short of Carew in the title race.
The incident caused an outcry in Wales and England, with many arguing it was against the spirit of a game that is renowned for its principles of fair play.
PCCC charged Carew with bringing the body into disrepute and the club’s skipper, Brian Hall, with a failure in his duties as a captain in ensuring the game was played within the spirit of cricket.
Although Carew did not break any rules, the PCCC officials relegated them to Division Two following a disciplinary hearing last night. However, the body allowed the club to remain as Division One champions.
The club’s second team have also been relegated, to Division Three, as a result and they were also fined £300.
Captain Hall will be banned for the 2018 campaign, with the latter half suspended.
Former Glamorgan cricketers Steve James, the ex-England batsman Gareth Rees and Mark Wallace were among those to voice their outrage on social media at the tactics of Carew against Cresselly.
Even outspoken television presenter Piers Morgan had waded into the row, slamming Carew as a “spineless, cowardly bunch of pathetic numpties”.
Carew club secretary Nick Scourfield said: “We are appealing against the decision and we are awaiting a date for another hearing.”